MANILA, Philippines -- With the PBA’s 40th season officially over, the spotlight will now shift to Gilas Pilipinas, which will be preparing for this year’s 2015 Fiba-Asia men’s championships in Changsa, Hunan, China.
Gilas coach Tab Baldwin, a regular fixture in the just-concluded PBA Governors Cup Finals, explained that San Miguel star center June Mar Fajardo will be the centerpiece of the national squad that will shoot
for no less than a berth in next year’s Rio Olympics in Brazil.
for no less than a berth in next year’s Rio Olympics in Brazil.
“As much as I wanna keep things close to the chest because that’s the right way to do things as we go through the process, you have to be a moron to not understand that June Mar is gonna be the pivot of the
team and the first guy that’s gonna be selected,” Baldwin told Philstar.com.
team and the first guy that’s gonna be selected,” Baldwin told Philstar.com.
The 57-year-old Baldwin noted that the 6-foot-10 Fajardo’s game has developed a lot since becoming the top rookie pick three years ago.
“His footwork is getting better and his confidence is great,” said the veteran international coach.
“We need that size. We can’t get in any place else. He’s the obvious choice.”
Fajardo was heads and shoulders above the competition in the Finals after finishing with huge numbers of 16.7 points, 17.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks to help the Beermen complete a four-game sweep of the Alaska Aces.
However, Baldwin said the 25-year-old Fajardo will have to adjust his game in the international competition, noting that he’ll be playing against who are bigger than him.
“It’s (Fiba-Asia tournament) gonna be different for him (Fajardo). It’s not gonna be the same. It’s not PBA. It’s gonna require a different type of behavior from June Mar,” he added.
The vastly-improved Fajardo will be working side by side with naturalized player and former Brooklyn Nets center Andray Blatche in the Fiba-Asia basketball showpiece set to start on Sept. 23.
The Philippines will be shooting for its first trip back to the Olympics since the 1972 Munich Games in Mexico.
Only the Fiba-Asia men’s champion will earn a ticket to the Olympics, with the second and third placers will then go through the final Olympic qualifier.
Source: Richard Dy of the Philippine Star
